H2 BISTORT of the SOCIETY. 



Acr™nt of metals from Sparta, are propofed by many of them as the mod 

 perfect model of legiflation devifed by human wifdom. — How 

 oppofite to this is the doctrine of modern politicians ! Far from 

 considering poverty as an advantage to a date, their great aim 

 is to open new fources of national opulence, and to animate 

 the activity of all claffes of the people by a tafle for the com- 

 forts and accommodations of life. 



One principal caufe of this difference between the fpirit of 

 ancient and of modern policy, may be found in the difference 

 between the fources of national wealth in ancient and in mo- 

 dern times. In ages when commerce and manufactures were 

 yet in their infancy, and among Mates condituted like mod 

 of the ancient republics, a fudden influx of riches from 

 abroad was juftly dreaded as an evil, alarming to the mo- 

 rals, to the induftry, and to the freedom of a people. So 

 different, however, is the cafe at prefent, that the mod wealthy 

 nations are thofe where the people are the mod laborious, 

 and where they enjoy the greated degree of liberty. Nay, 

 it was the general diffuflon of wealth among the lower orders 

 of men, which fird gave birth to the fpirit of independence in 

 modern Europe, and which has produced under fome of its 

 governments, and efpecially under our own, a more equal 

 diffufion of freedom and of happinefs than took place under 

 the mod celebrated conditutions of antiquity. 



Without this diffufion of wealth among the lower orders, 

 the important effects refulting from the invention of printing 

 would have been extremely limited ', for a certain degree of 

 eafe and independence is neceffary to infpire men with the de- 

 fire of knowledge, and to afford them the leifure which is re- 

 quifite for acquiring it ; and it is only by the rewards which 

 fuch a date of fociety holds up to indudry and ambition, that 

 the felfilh paffions of the multitude can be intereded in the in- 

 tellectual improvement of their children. The extenfive pro- 

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